What snow can teach me.

[JosephTree]

I had my first snow run of the year this morning. It was miserable to anticipate and only started to get to be, well, if not fun, then instructive, once I got started.

First, I learned right away that in slushy snow VFF's are in no wise waterproof and that it doesn't really matter if the run's not too long. Today's 5 miles at 38F was just fine. I think 10 would have left me hurting.

I learned that in such conditions it's better to choose a relatively flat course. With 3" of sloppy snow on the ground, there's not going to be any quick changes of direction. In fact, even a small rock or root becomes an instant opportunity to lose balance and traction. Wait! That's wrong. There is no traction. Which leads into the next learning:

When there's no traction there's only form. After running an easy paced 5 miles I felt more excercised in my core and my legs, especially my quads (I think they are - I need to review my leg anatomy) than I have since my last long trail race. Today's course was as flat as a run can get, but my only motive force was the "lean forward and keep the legs working" sort of thing. It was great!

Toward the end I crossed a piece of clear pavement and was shocked at how strange it felt to have traction for a few paces. Weird!

I invite your thoughts.

 

[Barefootandagel]

I wish I had snow

I wish I had snow :-(

 

[JosephTree]

If nothing else, snow makes

If nothing else, snow makes me really glad for summer.

Where do you run that you wish to have snow? Does it usually come and it's a case of snow drought or are you one of those poor sob's who have to use sunscreen all year?

 

[NickW]

I wish we had snow too JT. 

I wish we had snow too JT. We have to use an umbrella 9 months out of the year here and don't usually get much snow (Portland, OR).

 

[Agnesd]

We just had our first

We just had our first snowstorm a couple weeks ago, and I did not get to run in my VFF's because we just moved and I can't find them. But I did get to try them out in mud after a good rain before that - I totally agree with the wet/not waterproof thing. My feet were not only cold, they were wet and cold which I think is much worse. Since then I ran in my Vivobarefoot Ultra's without socks, which was better because they don't hold any water at all. And today I ran through the left over snow in my Invisible Shoes which was cold, but at least me feet didn't stay wet, and the traction wasn't bad. I've learned I'd rather be cold than cold and soggy.

 

[DB]

I ran once last year in

I ran once last year in slushy snow (ran too long, got numb, and had hot spots). I ran a short distance in slush a couple of times two weeks ago. For me, slush makes the feet pretty cold pretty quick (can't go more than 3/4 of a mile in it).

I've been conservative this year, only running 1/2 to 1 1/4 miles in the cold (for me, anything below about 48 F) after doing a few miles on a treadmill. I think this routine has improved my adaptation to the cold (for the short runs I do outside).

Two weeks ago I went on two separate runs in powder (about 1-2 inches fresh on a several inch base below it) and compacted powder in the streets. These were the FUNNEST runs I have EVER had in my life. If you warm up your feet first and have adapted them to the cold over time, I highly recommend barefoot in powder snow. As Ken Bob would say, it was pure dessert. The powder is soft, and seems to insulate a little against the cold. I probably could have run twice as far as I did without getting too cold or numb.

Sections of smooth ice are a different flavor of dessert, but still not quite as fun as powder in my opinion. The snow is gone here now, unfortunately ...

 

[JosephTree]

Dessert, yes!  I wish I could

Dessert, yes! I wish I could order some of that nice powdery stuff. Unfortunately, I keep getting served this soppy wet stuff. In any case, so far it's all good and a run in the bag is a wonderful thing.

 

[IHL]

I just did my usual 6 mile

I just did my usual 6 mile circuit of my neighbourhood. I have ended up using 1970s style gymsocks (similar to plastisock) lined with a Wool sock in winter conditions. VFFs are too cold for me even with a thin sock. Total barefoot will give me frostbite. The lined plastisock is my best compromise so far. .We had just had a couple of mild days, some sun, some sleet. A bit cooler today. All sidewalks and much of the roads are now frozen to sheet ice though. In places the gravel put down through the winter has become visible again becasue of yesterdays melt, but the gravel has been frozen solid in the ice this morning. On the one hand the road and sidewalk was like a wobbly icerink. And in part it was an icerink with sharp gravel sticking up. My experiece was similar to Josephs. Great conditions for practicing balance and core strength. Not so good for trying to set a new speed record. Refrozen slush is interesting ground for minimalist or BF style running.

IHL

Norway

 

[moominmamma]

I'm ready to be done with snow at this point. We had another big dump this weekend after an enticing few days of sun and warmth when the snowbanks had started to shrink and people were starting to use the S-word (spring).

I find VFFs the absolute worst thing to run in when there's wet snow on the ground. They separate my toes, thus reducing their mutual insulating effect, they're completely water-permeable, and then I tend to get blisters. I much prefer bare feet or huaraches, or else other minimalist shoes, sometimes with wool socks. In slush I prefer to avoid barefooting. If the snow is a bit colder, barefoot is absolutely awesome. Especially when there's an inch or so of fresh fluffy stuff fallen, because it cushions everything and conforms beautifully to the naked foot. Plus I love seeing the long trails of my footprints in the snow, crossing bunny tracks and the occasional hoofprints of deer, or even moose.

You are so right when you say "there's no traction; there's only form." Dry, clear surfaces seem like such a gift after an hour of no gription at all.

I absolutely detest frozen slush with gravel. Painful, cold and injurious. If there's a reason shoes were invented that's got to be it.

Miranda

Kootenay Mountains, BC, Canada

 

[JosephTree]

It looks like our winter is petering out down here in the mid-Atlantic. I'm starting to think about shad fishing. That's going to start cutting into my running and work schedule, I'm afraid.

Moominmamma, I agree, new snow, pre-tracks, pre-slush, pre-gravel is magical stuff. It's not too bad with soggy snow, though, if that's what's on offer.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Winter never really petered in here, so if it's petering on out, I surely didn't notice.

 

[Mikkel]

Seems like winter is over now here in Denmark. I've been running BF all the time and found my limit: minus 10 degree and windy. There hasn't really been much snow this winter so the real challenge is still waiting.

 

[Blind Boy]

Spring seems to come early this year. We've got our first day of thaw today here in northern Sweden. I'd say it's a couple of weeks earlier than it usually is. Still about a meter of snow just about everywhere but if the weather stays this way I might even be able to run barefoot outside by the end of March. I'm not much of a snow runner.

 

[JosephTree]

Europe, especially central and eastern got hammered this year. I think they got all the intensity that missed North America layered on top of their regular hard winter weather. When I hear about days of -30C (-50F) in Ukraine and not much better in Poland and Romania, I shudder and pray that I never have to endure such times. Running is far from one's mind, I'd guess. Just surviving becomes a big deal.
Sweden's snow is probably still crunchy. You have a way to go before the spring thaw. I saw my first daffodils and heard frogs creaking this PM.

 

[Blind Boy]

Joseph, -40F=-40C so -30C is "only" -22F. Still very cold but not quite as brutal. Cold enough that you can go around town here wearing a ski mask and even enter a bank without anyone even noticing. I've tried it.
Yes, the snow's still crunchy but once it starts to melt and we get past the spring equinox everything happens all at once. We don't get spring in the normal sense where I live It's not uncommon to see plants and trees blossom that I at least associate with summer while there's still snow in the shade. Spring lasts two or three weeks so we more or less go directly from winter to summer.

 

[NickW]

BB, the seasons you're describing sound an awful lot like when I was in Afghanistan. I was amazed at how it would be scorching hot and then a matter of a couple-three weeks later there would be a foot of snow on the ground. Then it did the opposite come spring time. Amazed me, just absolutely amazed me.

 

[Blind Boy]

That's pretty much how it works around here. We have a bit more of a fall season though due to my town being on the coast. It took some getting used to when I moved here and I still miss spring a little. I want nature to slowly come alive, not explode.